By GREGORY ZELLER //

Actually, the IDA stepped up for a Boss, as in Boss Facility Services, a Ronkonkoma-based facilities-maintenance contractor that’s looking to purchase and renovate a 31,000-square-foot building on Adams Avenue in Hauppauge.

That transaction becomes a little easier thanks to the Suffolk IDA, which has issued preliminary approval of a tax-abatement package that will “enhance Boss Facility Service’s operations and bolster a host of their support services and offerings,” according to the development agency.

It will also help Boss Facility Services retain 59 jobs and create six new full-time positions, noted the IDA, which is “pleased to play a role in Boss Facility Services’ retention and its future growth,” noted Deputy Executive Director Kelly Morris.

Boss Facility Services is a provider of commercial facility-maintenance services, with clients in retail, financial, hospitality and corporate markets. The family-owned firm’s scope of services includes HVAC, plumbing, electrical, painting and other handyman-related services.

The successful startup, which launched in 2001, has outgrown its current 7,500-square-foot headquarters in Ronkonkoma and needs the extra elbow room – part of which will be dedicated to training facilities designed to benefit both Boss Facility Services and the whole of Suffolk County, according to President Keith Keingstein.

“Given the fact that workforce development in our industry is a necessity, we are especially excited about how this move will enable us to establish a new training facility that will focus on creating employment opportunities for the residents of Suffolk County,” Keingstein said.

The president credited the Suffolk IDA with coming up with the right sweetener to keep the burgeoning business in its home region.

“We are thankful for the IDA’s support, as their assistance allows us to remain on Long Island and continue to serve our loyal customer base,” Keingstein added.

The regional training opportunities made the undisclosed incentives package – which must still undergo an IDA review before final approval – a smart bet, according to Suffolk IDA Executive Director Tony Catapano.

“The proposed transaction will allow Boss Facility Services to expand its operations, [which] are essential for supporting various groups of trades here on Long Island,” Catapano noted. “Given the amount of industries they help to support and the number of vendors they subsequently employ, the economic ripple effect of this company is significant.”